Bedclothes have remained basically the same since as far back as memory allows. The only new development to reach marketable proportions has been the fitted or contour bottom sheet. This has made bed-making easier and helped to maintain the bed in neater array from day to day. There have been patents issued for a variety of other innovations, but none have been popularly exploited.
Pursell in U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,378 shows a contour sheet with a fastening means such as one half of a zipper attached around three sides. A blanket is constructed similarly to the contour sheet with the other half of the zipper around three sides. When in place, the blanket is fastened to the sheet by means of the zipper. The user is then securely held under the blanket and the bed never gets messed.
Carris, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,958, has designed bed sheets with button holes spaced along three sides. Buttons are permanently attached to the mattress and are always visible. Once the sheets are buttoned into place they remain in position and blankets placed atop the sheets will remain essentially stationary. The sheets have a series of holes spaced such that they can be used on mattresses of different sizes.
A similar design of Colburn in U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,323 uses fastener strips such as Velcro.RTM., one part of which is permanently attached to the mattress and the other part of which is attached to a mattress pad and the top and bottom sheets. The bottom layer, the mattress pad, is the shortest and each successive layer is longer on the sides such that the top sheet attaches at a point lower on the sides of the mattress. The top sheet is secured to the mattress on three sides. The sheets must be individually made for each size bed and cannot be interchanged on beds of different sizes.
Wong, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,010, has devised casings which fit over the ends of the mattress. Velcro or other fastening means are spaced along the edges of the casings. A sheet with fasteners attaches to the casings and a bedspread may be attached as well. Casings fitted to a box spring can accomodate a dust ruffle. Sheets and other bedclothes must be specially made to fit only this system and separate sets are needed for beds of different sizes.
Lysiak (U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,470) teaches a device which is placed under a mattress and has clips which grip and hold a sheet, a blanket and a comforter in place at several points around the bed. The holding strips are elastic so there is some give to the bedclothes for greater comfort of the user. The device itself is completely out of sight when properly positioned.
Cotton (U.S. Pat. No. 2,262,436) developed a blanket protector which folds over the blanket at the top and bottom edges. Tapes with snaps are stitched to the blanket on both sides. Snap receivers on the blanket protector coact with the snaps and hold the blanket protector securely in place.
Schmier, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,531, teaches the use of fastening means such as buttons firmly attached along the foot of a mattress. Sheets, blankets, comforters, and other covers are made with corresponding buttonholes. The bedclothes will remain in place during use. Fasteners, requiring additional buttonholes in the bedclothers, can also be used at the top edges of the bedclothes to hold them all together. The button holes can be spaced so as to enable the bedclothes to be used on beds of different sizes. The sheets and other bedclothes must be properly positioned before they can be fastened to the buttons and firmly secured at the bottom of the bed. The buttons attached to the mattress are in plain view.
Most of the above methods require that sheets be made specifically for that method, that they cannot be used in any other method, nor can they be used on a conventional bed not fitted or modified for one of the methods. Where buttonholes are required to be made in the bedclothes, additional steps are needed in the manufacturing process and buttonholes provide more sites for wear and tear. The bedclothes are likewise anchored to the mattress, either all around, or at least along the foot of the bed, a condition not always desired. The buttons or fasteners attached to the mattress are readily visible.